Review: Harry Styles 'steps into the light' with great album

Harry Styles, 'œFine Line'ť (Columbia )

Arriving just in time to mess-up everyone's best-of-the-year music lists is Harry Styles' sophomore album, 'œFine Line.'ť The former One Direction member richly deserves a spot on yours.

The 12-track album continues Styles' tour through his musical influences - his salute to rock royalty - and yet also shows signs that he's coming up with his own sound. 'œShine, step into the light,'ť he sings. It is advice he is also taking.

The men of One Direction are each taking their own direction, but Styles' proves the most ambitious ( Take notes, Liam Payne ). He's co-written every song and also adds guitar, dulcimer and supplies backing vocals.

Styles has reunited with producers Jeff Bhasker, Tyler Johnson and Kid Harpoon, who helped mold his sound on his first album. And the singles released so far - the psychedelic foot-stomper 'œWatermelon Sugar,'ť the soaring, soulful 'œLights Up'ť and the blissful poppy 'œAdore You'ť - are all different and great.

There's also the Queen-ish 'œTreat People with Kindness,'ť which is a cheerful, funky slice of '70s, with hand-claps, tambourine and Styles trading verses with a choir. ('œAll together now!'ť he asks.) The most challenging song is 'œShe,'ť which has a Lennon-McCartney vibe, grinding guitar and crazy keys. Lyrically, its a cousin to 'œEleanor Rigby.'ť

Sometimes, the album feels like a game of Guess the Influence. 'œCanyon Moon'ť? Bob Dylan. "Golden"? Beach Boys, right? "She"? A bit of Santana. But Styles' references are lighter this time than on his debut. He's less aping his heroes than just using some of their colors.

There are call-backs to his first album. That had the song 'œKiwi'ť and the new one has more luscious fruits - strawberries, cherry and that watermelon. The song 'œFalling'ť once again finds Styles alone in bed with wandering hands, where he was unhappily on 'œFrom the Dining Table'ť from 2017.

Love - mostly its absence - is the lyrical bedrock, with Styles showing his lonely, brokenhearted side. 'œDon't call me '~baby' again,'ť he asks an ex in one song. 'œDon't call him '~baby,'" he asks in another. 'œCherry'ť seems to be about his French former flame. 'œI just miss your accent,'ť he sings, and the songs ends with a woman's voice cooing in French. (The title may be a joke on "cherie.") 'œI'm well aware I write too many songs about you,'ť he writes in the piano-driven ballad 'ťFalling."

The moody, string-based 'œFine Line'ť ends the album, another song about the push-pull of former flames and broken things. But it concludes with hope: 'œWe'll be alright.'ť If he keeps making music like this, we all will be.

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Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits